Seeking to slow a rush to build additional medical marijuana facilities before county regulations are adopted this summer, the Fremont County Board of Commissioners on February 13th unanimously voted to put into place a moratorium on any new medical marijuana construction.
District 2 Commissioner Debbie Bell noted that the Penrose Concerned Citizens group had contacted the Commissioners in recent days alarmed over new construction of greenhouse marijuana grow facilities that were being readied for construction at Penrose. Bell said because adoption and implementation of regulations to license medical marijuana facilities was still a couple of months away, the Board had discussed whether a moratorium was an appropriate action to stem the rush of new construction in the interim.
The resolution that was adopted notes that a one hundred twenty (120) day moratorium appears to be a reasonable period of time for the County to adopt rules and regulations with respect to construction of facilities associated with a medical marijuana business. The resolution adds that “Medical marijuana businesses lawfully in effect prior to the effective date of this Resolution shall be permitted and allowed to continue such operations at their present, approved location, notwithstanding the adoption of this moratorium.”
District 3 Commissioner Ed Norden said when rules are finally adopted each medical marijuana operation will have to apply for a license and each license will go through a public hearing process and be considered on its own merits. Norden said the moratorium should be of benefit as well to those businesses who might rush in spending money to build facilities only to find neighborhood opposition might cause a license to have a number of restrictions or not even be granted.